Apparatus for degreasing and coating hollow metal bodies



Oct. 21, 1941 J F, BLAC 2,259,546

APPARATUS FOR DEGREASING AND COATING IIOLLOW METAL BODIES Filed Nov. 16, 1940 INVENTOR. r/OH/V F' 5AA CK BY TM Patented Oct. 21, 1941 APPARATUS FOR DEGREASING AND COAT- ING HOLLOW METAL BODIES John F. Black, Cleveland, Ohio, asslgnor to Circo Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio I Application November 16, 1940, Serial No. 365,956

6 Claims.

. This invention relates broadly to degreasing apparatus and more specifically to improvements in degreasers of the type in which the vapors from a can of solvent areinjected into a gear case or similar grease laden chamber.

The invention further pertains to improvements on degreasers of the type disclosed in mycopending application, Serial No. 336,685, filed May 22,1940, the salient feature of the present invention, however, residing in a container having a coating fluid therein, such as oil, which vaporizes at a point substantially higher than a solvent and constitutes the heating medium for a can of solvent immersed therein. r

The primary object of the invention is to provide a chamber for vaporizing, successively, the solvent and coating fluid vapors, the apparatus being designed to facilitate the delivery of such vapors through a common channel communicating with the housing to be cleaned.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing and the manner in which all the various objects are realized will appear in the following description, which considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring tov the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

sealed engagement'therewith. The lid is further constructed with a depending annular rib l5 which is chambered to guide the solvent can in sealed engagement with the land 14 during the inthe housing to be cleaned.

The base of the container Ill is drilled to facilitate the support of an electrical heating element 21, the lead wires 22 therefor being arranged for connection with a push type socket of-conventional form. The upper face of the heating element is provided with pads 2 3 formed to retain the base of the solvent can A in spaced relation with Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the improved degreasing apparatus and a can of solvent in its operative position therein;

Fig. 2 is a-vertical sectional view through the upper portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 22 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the container illustrated in Fig. 1 and the electrical heating element disposed therein.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the degreaser comprises a container l0 preferably formed from a cylindrical tube having the upper end thereof threaded for the reception of a lid I l which is sealed in its assembled relation upon the tube by a gasket or packing ring l2. The container isconstructed for the reception of a can of solvent, the side walls 'of the container being designed to provide a chamber C circumambient the can while the lid is designed tofacilitate fluid communication between the interior of the can and a discharge opening in the lid. The can chosen herein for purpose of illustration is of the type which is formed with a screw threaded cap, the container opening it therein and a land ll about the open ing adapted to impinge the throat of the can in lid ll therefor being constructed with a central the face of the heater and further formed to centralize the can within the chamber C.

In the exercise of the solvent vapor cleaning method, upon machined steel parts, it has been found that unless such parts are covered with oil or a similar coating material they will rust or corrode within a few hours after cleaning. In order to avoid this condition the chamber C is partially filled with a coating fluid, such as oil,

which is vaporizable at a higher temperature than the solvent and which is capable of forming a rust proof film on the metal parts to be cleaned. The can of solvent is then immersed in this fluid and the electric circuit closed. whereupon the coating material will be heated to the point where it will cause the vaporization of the solvent in the can A. As the solvent vapors rise in the can A they will flow through'the opening l3, passagewayl6, through the conduit l8 and into the housing where the degreasing operation will occur. Subsequent the dissipation of the solvent in the can A the continued application of the heat upon the coating fluid or, if necessary, intensification thereof will effect the vaporization of the coating fluid, and as the gases therefrom rise in the chamber C they will flow through the aperture l 8 into the passageway it, through theconduit I! and into the housing where they will settle over and coat the metal parts previously cleaned by the action of the solvent vapors.

. Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character,-in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining,-and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

1 claim: 1

1. Apparatus for degreasing a housing comprising a container adapted for the reception of a can, a heating element therein, a lid on said container having a passageway therein communicatcan and said container for supporting said container and can in communication with the hollow metal body to be degreased.

4. A degreaser for a gear case comprising a container adapted for the reception of a can for a solvent, a heater in said container, the walls of said container being inspaced relation with the can and means for suspending said container and ing with the'interior or said container and the interior of the'can and means on said lid communicating with said passageway for supporting the container from the housing to be degreased.

I 2. A deg-reaser for a metalhousing comprising a container, a heater therein, a lid on said container having a passageway therein, a can in said container in communication with said passageway, and a. conduit coupled with said passageway and adapted for connection with'the metal housing to be degreased.

3. 'A degreaser for'a hollow metal body'comprising a container adapted tor the reception of a can having an opening in the top thereof, the volumetric capacity of the container being greater than the volumetric capacity of the can, a

Y heating element in said container, and means influid communication with the interior or said tainer, the volumetric capacity or the container being greater than the volumetric capacity of the can and means in fluid communication with the interior of said can and said container and constituting the supporting medium for the suspension of the container and can. from the gear case to be degreased.

. JOHN F. BLACK. 

